Shane McCarthy interview

[Dominic]

Someone is being optimistic. That line would almost work in a "Beast Machines" story.

I am seeing Morrison writing about math, math, math, and the story of math, with Matrix geometry. Maybe some bad, retrograde style, questions of robots dreaming of electric sheep, featuring Carnivac, Weirdwolf, Snarl (the Minicon), Wolffang and other wolf-guys, because that would just be sooooooo clever.

Dom
-IDW had better not do this. I mean it. They do, I am out.

[Sparky Prime]

Uh, you yourself have said that knowing they lost the Matrix would be a blow for the Autobots.

Yes, a blow to an already extremely low moral. Telling them they'd also lost the Matrix would be like kicking them when not only already down, but have been kicked a couple times already. It's not like they could do anything about it anyway, so it makes sense to spare them that information for now. But that still isn't a clear indication of the importance of the Matrix.

On the other hand, Shockwave correctly assesses that the Autobots are likely going to be trouble-makers. Shockwave was sincere in wanting to end the war, if only so everybody could fight Unicron.

I didn't get the impression Shockwave was even actually aware of Unicron or that a signal was sent out. All he seemed focused on was accessing Vector Sigma's data. And I'm not sure how sincere he was for ending the war. Clearly he had his own agenda and logically, achieving it would be easier with out a war hindering/destroying his progress.

Can you blame Mirage for wanting a piece of that pie, rather than going along to get along with a bunch of guys who would just perpetuate the war Mirage wanted no part of the in the first place?

When he blindly turns in his comrades into a situation they know absolutely nothing about, yes, I can blame him. I can't fault him if he only risked his own neck, but seeing as how he lead Ultra Magnus to capture the rest of the team, he most certainly crossed a line.

It is not like there were not Autobots working with/for Shockwave.

The entire planet was being run by Shockwave. Save for a few rebel Autobot's on Cybertron and the Earth bound Cybertronians, everyone was working with/for Shockwave.

But, there are character actions and dialogue, clearly on the page, that illustrate the Matrix as important to both factions.

That's what I disagree with. They aren't that clear with the Matrix. Other than it's role of picking Prime's, nothing is really said about it. But with Prime still alive, that doesn't really matter.

[Dominic]

I didn't get the impression Shockwave was even actually aware of Unicron or that a signal was sent out. All he seemed focused on was accessing Vector Sigma's data. And I'm not sure how sincere he was for ending the war. Clearly he had his own agenda and logically, achieving it would be easier with out a war hindering/destroying his progress.

Shockwave know that *something* bad was coming. (There were lines about him having seen documents of some kind, I recall that much.) And, Shockwave, being rational, means he would not waste resources on continuing a war. Lets say he did not know about Unicron, and only wanted to take over Cybertron, was his regime really such a bad one to live under? Plenty of Autobots seemed to get along just fine under Shockwave.

Yes, a blow to an already extremely low moral. Telling them they'd also lost the Matrix would be like kicking them when not only already down, but have been kicked a couple times already. It's not like they could do anything about it anyway, so it makes sense to spare them that information for now. But that still isn't a clear indication of the importance of the Matrix.

And, right there, you have just argued that the Matrix is very important politically. And, again, Prime survival was not guaranteed, meaning that the Matrix's McGuffin function could have become more relevant very quickly. (Kup and Jazz are clearly worried about this.) Remember, Kup and Jazz could not read ahead, or even guess at plot twists like we can.

[Onslaught Six]

Dom and I's basic arguement is that the Matrix is simply important. No, we don't quite know exactly how important. But apparently, it's important enough that Kup and Jazz want to hide the fact that It's Gone from the other Autobots, and that it apparently started the war in the first place.

Regardless of continuity issues, Kup stating that solidifies the importance of the Matrix as AHM is concerned with it. In fact, one could easily argue that this is a 'classic' case of comic book retcons--the likes of which happen, for better or worse, all the time in regular comics. A new writer comes on, and says, "No, this is what really happened all those issues ago," and whether the fans like it or not, *that* is what the history of the universe was now. (And then, of course, another writer can come back on right after and go, "No, what that last guy said was bogus," and then we're right back where we started. This is the main problem with mainstream comics these days, so AHM dabbling in it with this 'possible' minor retcon--a retcon we don't even have much detail about--probably isn't a great thing, but the fact is that it happened.)

So if McCartney says the war started over the Matrix, then as far as we know, the war started over the Matrix.

Incidentally, it may very well be that Megatron never announced his intent to take the Matrix, and this was simply what Kup had been told--either by Optimus, or a preceeding leader like Sentinel Prime or Zeta Prime.

And I'd just like to lend some further credence to my theory that Kup saying The War Started Over The Matrix is just him saying something meaningful and important. And to do so, I'm going to use 'another' Matrix as an example: the well-known film trilogy.

In the first movie, Morpheus is talking to Neo in the big white digital room that I forget the name of, and explaining This Is The Matrix, Also Everything You've Ever Known Was A Lie, Sorry. (At least, I think this is the scene, it might not even be Morpheus who says it, but bear with me.) Morpheus mentions that Zion is the last free human city, and it's located "at the Earth's core, where it's still warm." Two movies pass where characters are clearly all over the place in the real world, including in the giant machine city towards the end of Revelations, and no mention of the rest of the Earth being Really Cold ever takes place--nor are characters shown being cold in areas that aren't Zion. So we can simply conclude that Morpheus's line is just the writers putting in something that, for lack of anything else, sounds cool and important but doesn't actually mean anything. It's a hole--a tiny hole--and most people wouldn't even pick up on it.

[Sparky Prime]

Lets say he did not know about Unicron, and only wanted to take over Cybertron, was his regime really such a bad one to live under? Plenty of Autobots seemed to get along just fine under Shockwave.

For the time being, but is Shockwave to be trusted? Clearly, he was planning something big given the scope of what he was after. So really, how long would that peace last under his regime? How long until he betrayed the Autobots, or did something they didn't like/agree with? Obviously it didn't take very long.

And, right there, you have just argued that the Matrix is very important politically.

Not at all. Politically, in this situation, it's meaningless as long as Prime still lives.

And, again, Prime survival was not guaranteed,

That's irrelevant given he was still alive and still had a chance to recover. Granted, they'd have to consider the possibility if he didn't survive, but obviously they'd hope for the best.

Remember, Kup and Jazz could not read ahead, or even guess at plot twists like we can.

Which goes back to having a shred of hope. That's about all they could do given the situation.

Dom and I's basic arguement is that the Matrix is simply important. No, we don't quite know exactly how important. But apparently, it's important enough that Kup and Jazz want to hide the fact that It's Gone from the other Autobots, and that it apparently started the war in the first place.

And it's been my point that from what Kup says, it sounds like they're hiding the fact the Matrix is missing from the others to try and keep morale from going any lower given they've already been through more than enough lately. It really doesn't seem to have anything to do with importance of the Matrix and nothing is explained to show us how or why it would be important here.

[Dominic]

The Matrix is important *because* the Autobots attach great value to it. That is the important thing, that that Autobots *clearly*, indicated by dialogue and actions (including the Kup scene you earlier cited), place high value on the Matrix. McCarthy is just giving readers credit by assuming they are mature enough to pick it up from dialogue and actions, rather that Claremontian explication every issue.

Wow. Writing.

I admit to not giving AHM much credit at first. That was partly due to me being conditioned by low expectations. Granted, those expectations were not wholly unreasonable, but I was lazy. I re-read the first 4 issues, and realized that McCarthy actually had something to say beyond "whoa, TF is kewl". Yes, he is guilty of writing for the trade, but at least he is not pitching low with his writing. Leadership. War. Big ideas.


Prime's survival would be both personally and practically important. And, given the stakes, Prime's condition would be worth more than "a shred of hope".

Real life example:
Mature concern warrants more than just "I hope this works out". When I was fostering daisy and Lady, I had to place them in a shelter that was not strictly no kill. I had hope that they would pass the stringent temper tests, (made all the more strict due to them being Pitbulls), but no guarantees. I signed a "notify before destroying" contract, so I would have the prospect of reclaiming them if they failed their tests. I was ready to quit school anf take any job I could get, to afford to foster them as long as I needed to.

I did not just hope for the best, I actively worked to prepare for the worst. After a week of checking in with the shelter, Daisy and Lady were adopted. Given the shelter's strict duescreens for adoptions, I have mature reason to think they are okay. But, I did not even consider mere "hope" sufficient until they had been adopted.

Dom

[Sparky Prime]

The Matrix is important *because* the Autobots attach great value to it. That is the important thing, that that Autobots *clearly*, indicated by dialogue and actions (including the Kup scene you earlier cited), place high value on the Matrix. McCarthy is just giving readers credit by assuming they are mature enough to pick it up from dialogue and actions, rather that Claremontian explication every issue.

I just don't see it. The Matrix has a purpose that makes it important, but that purpose would only come up if Prime dies. Something the Autobot's would consider certainly, but that isn't what the focus is on. Kup starts out his rant on the Matrix by saying "I wonder sometimes how much we can actually take. How much we're built to handle." That indicates to me that he's more concerned with the morale than the Matrix itself, let alone what ever value it may be. And after his speech, rather than worry about the Matrix or fixing the Trion he actually does say "Prime's our focus now". Kup is actually placing Prime as being more important than anything else. Not the Matrix. Not even the chance of getting off Cybertron. He puts everything on fixing Prime.

[Onslaught Six]

And yet, the simple fact that Kup and Jazz don't want to tell anyone else that The Matrix Is Gone shows that there is at least some kind of value to it. It doesn't matter 'what' value, just that it is indeed kinda sorta important.

[Sparky Prime]

And yet, the simple fact that Kup and Jazz don't want to tell anyone else that The Matrix Is Gone shows that there is at least some kind of value to it.

All that shows me is they don't want the troops to take another blow to morale with things as bad as they already are, it doesn't say anything about the value to the Matrix.

[Onslaught Six]

Why would the loss of the Matrix matter to the troops if the Matrix were not important? Otherwise, it'd be like, "Oh, Prime doesn't have his gun now, that sucks."